currentToolConfiguration: The tool's configuration from the property Configuration. Configuration is constructured by converting system.Xml.XmlElement to JSON using the JsonConvert.SerializeObject method from NewstonSoft Json.Net. See Json.NET documentation. See converter source file.

BeforeLoad: Executed before the data stores are loaded. Used to manually configure data stores.

manager: An object that implements the SetConfiguration and GetConfiguration functions, managing data items, their content from the configuration, and their persistance in the workflow. The manager also:

calls the window.Alteryx.Gui.Annotation function, which provides a workflow canvas annotation for your tool by returning a string.

interacts with the HTML GUI SDK widgets.

provides an easy API for accessing upstream field and tool information.

AlteryxDataItems: An object with various data item type constructors on it, so you may new them up from it. For the full listing of supported data items, see Supported Data Items.

new AlteryxDataItems.SimpleInt('X')

json: An object containing the actual JSON that provides the tool’s current configuration data. The actual persisted XML configuration data is under the Configuration property. The short object description is:

AlteryxDataItems: An object with various data item type constructors on it, so you may new them up from it. For the full listing of supported data items, see Supported Data Items.

new AlteryxDataItems.SimpleInt('X')

BeforeGetConfiguration: Executed before the GetConfiguration event is fired. Allows for current configuration data to be changed before obtaining the tool configuration on deselection. Used to change the values or the structure of the persisted data.

json: An object containing the actual JSON that provides the tool’s current configuration data. The actual persisted XML configuration data is under the Configuration property. The short object description is:

GetConfiguration: Executes as the final action before a tool is deselected, obtains the tool configuration from the GUI.

GetConfiguration: function () {...}

UI creation patterns

There are several methods available to creating a tool. Evaluate what your users require of your tool before determining what method of creation you want to use.

If the tool is filling in an existing UI, it does not need to persist configuration between uses. If the tool has configuration settings that persist, but are not displayed to a user, the tool does not need to synchronize data between UI controls and the configuration persistence.